Why do you need a bathroom dehumidifier?

Why Do You Need A Bathroom Dehumidifier?

Not everyone realizes the importance of a bathroom dehumidifier, but when you think about it, it makes sense. The bathroom is one room of any home that is especially prone to moisture buildup from steamy baths and showers. If the moisture is not removed from the air, it can lead to numerous complications such as mold, mildew and structural damage to walls and floors from being constantly wet.

Over time, major damage can occur, such as rotting wood in floors under showers and around tubs. In such a case the entire fixture often needs to be removed so that the surface underneath can be replaced. Dampness inside cabinets can cause wood to rot and attract pests such as silverfish and can also leave towels feeling constantly damp, even when they are supposed to be dry.

Most modern homes are built with some sort of ventilation system in the bathrooms, but in some older homes, you might still find bathrooms that have no method of moisture control whatsoever. In these cases you will usually see signs of moisture damage - mold, mildew and rotted wood, along with that telltale musty smell.

Fans may suffice in regions where the humidity is naturally low, because moisture will be easily dispersed simply by turning on the fan and opening a window. In humid climates or cool weather, moisture is much more difficult to get rid of because it is everywhere, and the steam from the bathroom just adds to it. In these cases, a bathroom dehumidifier will help the fan eliminate moisture from the air and return it to a more reasonable level.

For the bathroom, dehumidifier units need not be large or expensive, and no installation is required for smaller units. For less than $100, you can get a small device that sits on the countertop or inside a cabinet. Hanging or mounting the unit on the ceiling or high up on a wall provides effective control of moisture caused by steam, since steam tends to rise. The small cost of such a unit is nothing compared to the expense involved in repairing the bathroom, and possible other parts of the home, once moisture damage has occurred.

Replacing rotted floors, walls and cabinets of a bathroom can cost thousands of dollars, but in some cases the damage doesn’t end in the bathroom. A floor in an upstairs bathroom is also the ceiling of the room below, so when moisture sets in, it can result in water damage and mold on the ceiling below. The same is true of walls and the floor of the room above the bathroom.

It is easy to see how a little bit of excess moisture inside a bathroom can snowball into a huge problem that requires major renovations and a lot of money to fix. In addition, when you consider the health hazards posed by breathing air that is contaminated with mold and mildew, a dehumidifier in the bathroom is something you really shouldn’t do without.